GM Problems website

I just launched a website

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dedicated togathering and presenting information on various GM problems, includingpiston slap, engine knock, coolant leaks, manifold gaskets, brakes,rotors other problems with GM cars, trucks and SUV's. If you have anysuggestions for any other problems or information that you'd like tosee listed on the site, please let me know. Thanks in advance.

Reply to
The_Big_Muddy
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Why only GM owners? Why not set up a site for the owners of every vehicle manufacture, since they all have problems now and then. That way you can help all owners, no manufacture makes vehicles that do not break down on occasion. That is why they all offer a warranty, even Rolls Royce and Ferrari. J D Powers latest survey of

51,000 of the 16.4 million buyers of 2004 vehicles shows that the number one brand listed, Toyota, had 102 problems per 100 vehicles sold. The number two manufacture, Honda, had 102.3. The number three manufacture, Hyundai, had 102.4 The worst Porsche, had 105 problems per 100 vehicles sold. The average for all of the 120 different 2004 models sold in the US, was 103, a virtual tie.

mike hunt

"The_Big snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com" wrote:

Reply to
MelvinGibson
102 problems per 100? So there are more problems than vehicles? Are you sure it's not 102 problems per 1000 vehicles? That would sound more like it. Either that or I've been *extremely* lucky and some other person got all my problems over the years.
Reply to
James C. Reeves

DUH, 102 per 100 vehicle means there was slightly more than one problem per vehicle, but less than 2, (1.02) on average. 105 mean more than one but less than two per vehicle, (1.05) as well. If it were more than 2 it would be listed as 20X per 100 vehicles, on average. As you can see a virtual tie. Don't forget it was a survey of only 51,000 of the 16.4 million buyers of 2004 vehicles, and basically only complainers complain. That should tell you something about the surveys in magazines like CR that test only the ONE they buy to test and they rely ONLY on the people that respond to their survey to reach the conclusions they print. The surveys by J. D. Powers are set up so every company that subscribes, to their very expensive service, can find something good to say about their product. I personally own several vehicle and buy a new one every year and haven't had a problem vehicle in a least the past 25 years that I can remember. ;)

mike hunt

"James C. Reeves" wrote:

Reply to
MelvinGibson

I understand that. I can't believe that there are more than one problem per vehicle on average. Your theory that it's probably the complainers that respond most frequently, which would tend to pumps up the number of problems, is probably a good theory.

I've had 10+ cars over the decades and usually keep them for quite a while and I've only had four "real" problems...a transmission problem (rebuild) on a 1978 Ford LTD, a habitual A/C problem on a 1987 Caravan, a head gasket problem on a 1997 Neon (known problem) and a really bad body-seal water leaking problem on a 2003 Malibu (the Malibu was absolutely the biggest POS car I ever bought out of the lot!). So I guess that would be a rate of ~40/100 if they used my small sampling. ;-)

Reply to
James C. Reeves

I also wonder if it's not what some people would consider a problem or not. For 1 person it may be a complaint but another person could consider it maintenance.

Reply to
Phillip Schmid

I don't know whether this site will gain traction or not. The market will decide. I have a hunch that GM owners have been waiting for such a place and would visit if they knew. GM cars have had some particularly vexing problems in recent years. The intake gasket is one example. You can't buy a vehicle with certain engines and hope to drive it for years and years because this major expense may come up time after time. After the warranty period you are on your own. These types of things and the general low quality of some products is creating animosity with owners.

Reply to
Professor

Perhaps you might want to inform J.D. Powers that you are credulous, its their report. I merely posted their numbers to show what we see in our business, that services thousands of vehicles yearly of most every brand, and that is there is little discerable difference in the built quality or longevety of the vehicles on the market today in the same class. The only real differance is style and price. Many buyers make their purchase based on surveys. Personally I believe survey are a waste of time. If CR, for instance, has problems, or not, with the ONE they test that does not mean every other ONE a person buys will, or will not, have similar good or bad luck. To me the best thing a buyer can hope for is the one they buy will last as long as they want to own it, without a major failure, when given the proper maintenance. Unfortunately to many, changing the oil every 3K is proper maintenance. If one buys a used car based on the opinions of others in a survey, they are fooling themselves. No one can know for sure how the previous owner(s) used or abused the vehicle or how well it was maintained or not.

mike hunt

"James C. Reeves" wrote:

Reply to
MajorDomo

The average new vehicle buyer in the US, buys another new vehicle in three to four years with 45K to 60K on the clock. If the one they owned was problematic they will not likely go back to the brand. Any new vehicle sold today can easily last twice that mileage, given proper maintenance, without a major fault. If you are not the average new car buyer or you are a used car buyer you don't' even show up on most surveys. The problem today is many buyers expect the manufacture to fix their vehicles for as long as they own them.

Your example of a gasket problem was not limited to GM. It was a problem for the gasket manufactures, that make the gaskets, used by all vehicle manufactures that took the heat. EVERY manufacture, that assembles vehicles in the US, ran into gasket and brake pad problems of some sort after the feds banned the use of asbestos. The problem was the feds set a date, without giving the gasket manufactures time to develop a suitable replacement material. The same was true of the paint peeling problems, that the vehicle manufacture got caught up in, because of government regulations.

mike hunt

Professor wrote:

Reply to
MajorDomo

market

particularly

You are just so full of it Mike I don't know where to start. Maybe JD Powers doesn't survey used car buyers, but the price of crappy used cars DOES affect new car prices. The POS minivan transmissions that Chrysler had knocked the used vehicle prices way down and the rebates up. I'm not talking about gasket material problems. That's a separate issue from the inate design flaws in those engines. Witness the fact that they changed the design to fix the problem. Those old engines still fail with revised gasketing. Go ahead, keep making excuses for the manufacturers if it makes you feel better. Failures are still failures and customers will want to keep up with whats happening on their particular case. Your carrying water for the manufacturers is not going to help them.

Reply to
Professor

I tend to agree with you. I think all of the companies make reasonably good products these days. The only place they have left to distinguish themselves is in the area is "wowing" the customer better than the next guy does.

Reply to
James C. Reeves

I wonder how Peterbuilt and Kenworth (and others) can get a million miles easy out of their engines?

Reply to
James C. Reeves

the biggest part is that they are large displacement inline 6 diesels that redline between 1500 and 1800rpm and have a oil capacity in the

15 gallon plus range.

BTW neither Kenworth nor Peterbuilt build engines, they use Caterpillar, Cummins, and Detroit Diesel engines.

-Bret

Reply to
Bret Chase

Mike I guess you'r smarter than the rest of the population who keeps increasing the market share of Toyota, while GM keeps going down the toilet.

Every survey out there states that Toyota 'on average' is more reliable than GM, Ford, or Chrysler 'on average'. I guess the general public and all magazines are stupid because there in absolutely no difference in quality between GM and Toyota. According to Mike they are identical.

Mike is even smarter than GM - remember the 'ROAD TO REDEMPTION', when GM ADMITTED they were inferior in quality? So even when GM admits they are inferior, they don't know what they are talking about because Mike knows that actually GM was and is just as good as Toyota.

If perception is so incorrect out there, where did this false perception come from?

Reply to
mark575757

You are entitled to believe whatever you want and buy what ever brand you wish. My over 50 years working in all facets of the automotive business from chassis design, to retail, to fleet service tells me you can pick any brand, bar none, and find hundreds of previous owners that will tell you everything they ever built is junk and thousands that will swear they were the best vehicles they ever owned. As to making a current purchase based on a vehicle that was manufactured ten or even five years ago, and not even sold by the manufacture today, is a pretty stupid way to judge the current vehicles they do sell.

mike hunt

Professor wrote:

Reply to
BenDover

Because of my years of experience in this business many of my friends ask my advice on what to buy. From what we see in our business the only difference is the new vehicles on the market today is style and price. I suggest a buyer drive all of those that best suits their needs and get a drive home price, then buy the one that best suits their budget from the dealership that provides the best service. The service is the most important thing you want for the next three or four years that you are likely to own that vehicle.

mike hunt

"James C. Reeves" wrote:

Reply to
BenDover

Do you wonder why a diesel outlasts a gas engine? Do you wonder why an engine that is started and stop once a day will outlast one that is started and stopped ten times a day and run only 1/5 as many miles? Do you wonder why an engine that runs at

1/3 the RPM's of another will last longer? ;)

mike hunt

"James C. Reeves" wrote:

Reply to
BenDover

Mike, actually the history of a manufacturer is very important. A car for most people, with exceptions to multi millionaires and billionaires, is the second largest purchase for most people. As such, it is imperative that you look at the history of a manufacturer when making a decision. A company that has performed very poorly in the past (road to redemption?) you want to stay away from them until they have a long history of building the best. Why take a chance on a bad manufacturer (even if they are now good) if they have such a poor history only a few years ago?

Mike do you not admit that 5, 10, 15 years ago GM was inferior to toyota in quality? Can you honestly say GM was as good in quality as toyota in the 80's and 90's?

What was the Road to Redemption about? Admiting they were not upto standard. Therefore, when making a mojor purchase such as a car, you have to consider the recent history.

So, Mike, please answer, was GM upto Toyota quality 5, 10, 15, years ago?

Reply to
mark575757

Also, another reason history is important, being that a car is such a huge purchase for most people. Its like deciding to get married.

Just because a man is now 'good' and has 'paid his debt to society', Mike would you want your daughter to get married to a man who was convicted for raping and killing children years ago? According to you history does not matter, only what is going on today. So as long as the guy is good today, who cares about his history, you should not take that into account when making a decision that will affect your life or your daughters life for many years.

Is this how you would run your life Mike? Is this how you advise people to buy cars? Always be ignorant of history? It doesn't matter?

Who was it that said ' Those who forget their history are doomed to repeat it'.

Reply to
mark575757

well I'd take a 80's GM pickup over a 80's rust bucket toyota pickup any day of the week. my '88 K2500 is running strong even in it's 17th year.

-Bret

Reply to
Bret Chase

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